HOWELL — Residents elected Robert F. Walsh as Howell’s new mayor and his running mate Susan Schroeder Clark as a member of the Township Council on Election Day, Nov. 4.
Walsh and Clark ran as independent candidates, unaffiliated with any political party. Walsh will give up his seat as a councilman when he takes the oath of office as mayor in January. The mayor’s term is for four years.
Walsh’s election as mayor will create an open seat on the council that will have to be filled.
Clark will join the council in January and will also serve a four-year term.
Republican Mayor Joseph DiBella and Republican Councilwoman Cynthia Schomaker did not seek re-election.
No Democrats filed to run for mayor or council.
Under Howell’s form of government the mayor is elected by voters but serves as a member of the council and votes on all municipal business.
According to results posted on the Monmouth County Internet Web site, voters elected Walsh to his first term as mayor with 11,407 votes. Walsh defeated Republican Russell F. Bohlin Jr., who had 9,202 votes.
Voters elected Clark to a seat on the council with 10,575 votes. Clark defeated Republican Susan M. Wynalek, who had 9,206 votes.
The totals do not include provisional ballots.
Walsh and Clark celebrated their victory with a party at Lorenzo’s restaurant.
Clark said, "I want to thank everyone who helped us campaign. This is a very exciting and historic moment."
Walsh, who said he was relieved the campaign had ended, said Howell is now controlled by the people and the independent movement. Council members Angela Dalton and Michael Howell are also independents.
Bohlin said although he was disappointed by the results on Election Day, he is grateful for the number of people who supported him. He attributed Walsh’s victory to finances. According to Bohlin, Walsh spent about $2 for every vote he received, while Bohlin said his campaign spent about 50 cents for every vote received.
Bohlin said if he had the chance to go back and change strategies, he would choose to start the process of door-to-door campaigning a lot earlier. He called himself a "man of the people" and said he did not run for mayor to seek personal glory.
"I had the time and expertise to dedicate to the township," he said, adding that "the margin of victory was narrow" and "not a mandate from the public in favor of his policies."
When Wynalek heard the results on Election Day she said, "that’s a shame," and congratulatedWalsh and Clark on their victory.
— Toynett Hall